Thunderbolts* Director Wanted Man-Thing on the Team

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Summary

  • Thunderbolts* director wanted Man-Thing on the team, but the pitch was rejected by Marvel.
  • Thunderbolts* features a group of misfits for redemption, including anti-heroes and villains.
  • Thunderbolts* promises a fun and hilarious adventure, even without Man-Thing in the mix.

Next week’s highly anticipated release, Thunderbolts*, has fans buzzing with anticipation. The film’s director recently disclosed a fresh piece of information that, if implemented, might have significantly altered the movie’s narrative.

In February, Marvel Studios released “Captain America: Brave New World” with Anthony Mackie in the title role. Coming up next week is a film titled Thunderbolts, where a band of unconventional characters, including Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Robert Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) will come together for redemption. If the director’s proposal had been accepted, an additional character would have joined this team.

In an interview with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar), Jake Schreier, who directed the movie, expressed that during the pitching process, he wished to have Man-Thing as part of the team if given the choice. “I recall having a strong desire for Man-Thing to join the squad during the brainstorming stage“, Schreier admitted. Unfortunately, his idea didn’t come to fruition, but he was satisfied with the final outcome because “it seemed to work out for the better“. Dr. Theodore “Ted” Sallis, also known as Man-Thing, is a scientist who experimented with a serum similar to the one that created Captain America. After injecting himself with the serum and escaping an attack, he crashed into a swamp where the mystical forces of the swamp transformed him into Man-Thing. It’s likely that Marvel Studios turned down Schreier’s pitch because Man-Thing made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe through Marvel Studio’s special Werewolf by Night in 2022.

As a movie reviewer, I found myself captivated by the unique approach taken in assembling the Thunderbolts team. Director Schreier didn’t just want to gather a group of antagonists and turn them into heroes. Instead, he was keen on identifying characters who resided in that ethereal moral grey area or were once destined for greatness but found themselves derailed. Characters like John Walker, who despite his valiant service as the former Captain of the United States Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, ultimately failed to live up to the iconic symbol he was supposed to represent. Walker became the grim reminder of what transpires when power is bestowed upon an unsuitable individual. The filmmaker emphasized that they were seeking out characters who, much like John Walker, had been misunderstood and misjudged by society.

As a film enthusiast, I must confess that some movies seem to miss the mark when it comes to stirring our emotions or making us care about the characters. It’s as if they’ve strayed from the essence of what makes a story truly impactful.

One captivating Marvel Cinematic Universe film this year is Thunderbolts, boasting an intriguing concept of assembling a band of eccentrics. The prospect of witnessing their squabbles and witty exchanges, given their diverse personalities, guarantees an entertaining and humorous journey. It’s unexpected but not implausible that Man-Thing could join the team, considering the flexibility of the current MCU. Man-Thing has a unique talent for sensing human feelings, and his capacity to incinerate individuals when he detects fear makes him a potent weapon against adversaries.

In addition, Man-Thing is a mystical entity bound to the Nexus of All Realities, which makes him invaluable for traversing the multiverse. He could be presented as a confined monster, similar to the Hulk during early Avengers operations. Furthermore, he can empathize with other characters like Yelena and Bucky who are experiencing complex emotions and may benefit from a strong emotional bond. Introducing Man-Thing will give Thunderbolts an otherworldly quality and be beneficial if the team encounters supernatural threats. Although Man-Thing was missing, the Thunderbolts’ screening results were encouraging. The movie is said to appeal to those who are growing weary of superhero tropes.

*Replace Thunderbolts with “the upcoming Marvel film” where necessary.
Replace “the capes genre” with “superhero films”.

Thunderbolts* will hit theaters on May 2, 2025.

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2025-04-22 18:35